The sea is calm tonight. The tide is full, the moon lies fair Upon the straits;- on the French coast the light Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand, glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Matthew ArnoldRead
And each day brings it's pretty dust, Our soon-choked souls to fll And we forget because we must, And not because we will.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the inevitability of life's burdens and our acceptance of them as a necessity.
Matthew Arnold's quote suggests that each day presents us with challenges and distractions ('pretty dust') that can overwhelm our souls. It implies that we often forget these burdens not out of choice, but out of necessity, as we must move forward in life despite the chaos and difficulties we face.
Themes
LifeBurdensForgettingNecessityChallenge
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about resilience in the face of daily challenges.
More from Matthew Arnold
All quotes βIt is almost impossible to exaggerate the proneness of the human mind to take miracles as evidence, and to seek for miracles as evidence.
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To have the sense of creative activity is the great happiness and the great proof of being alive.
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Nature, with equal mind, Sees all her sons at play, Sees man control the wind, The wind sweep man away.
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Culture, the acquainting ourselves with the best that has been known and said in the world, and thus with the history of the human spirit.
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Weary of myself, and sick of asking What I am, and what I ought to be, At this vessel's prow I stand, which bears me Forwards, forwards, o'er the starlit sea.
Matthew ArnoldRead
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